Neon

Name

Neon

Legal name

neon

Website

https://neon-free.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (522180), Commercial Banking (52211)

SIC

Commercial Banks, Nec (6029), Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail-focused Neobanks (Mass Market) (FSABAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Banking & Neobank Platforms (BPAMAFAD), BaaS Platforms & Sponsor Bank Enablement (FSAGALAA), Embedded Deposit Accounts & Digital Wallet Infrastructure (FSAGALAE), Customer Experience & Engagement (CRM, Support, Rewards, Loyalty) (FSAGAAAM)

Keywords

• Mobile banking
• Digital banking
• Neobank services
• Investment trading
• Pension savings

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Interchange fees: When users use their neon card, merchants pay a small fee (interchange fee) set by the card network (Mastercard). Neon receives approximately 0.2-0.3% of the transaction amount for domestic payments in Switzerland.
2. Foreign exchange fees: Foreign transaction fees for card payments abroad: 0.35% of transaction amount for neon free users. Higher-tier plans (plus, global, metal) eliminate this fee.
3. Monthly subscription fees: Monthly fees from premium plans: neon plus (2 CHF/month), neon global (8 CHF/month), neon metal (15 CHF/month). Diversifies revenue beyond interchange.
4. Trading commissions: Transaction fees for investing: 0.5% for ETFs and Swiss stocks, 1.0% for international stocks. No custody fees. Covers costs at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg for infrastructure, custody, and trading access.
5. Partner referral commissions: Commissions from partner offerings in the app: Säule 3a partners (up to 150 CHF per completion), investment partners (up to 150 CHF per completion), insurance partners (up to 75 CHF per insurance), mortgage advisory partners (based on mortgage amount).
6. ATM withdrawal fees: Fees for cash withdrawals: 2.50 CHF per withdrawal in Switzerland for free users; 1.5% for foreign withdrawals (free users). Premium plans offer free or reduced-cost withdrawals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Neon is a Swiss mobile-first neobank offering a digital everyday banking account paired with a debit Mastercard, delivered through a single iOS/Android app. The platform integrates current accounts, investment trading in stocks/ETFs/crypto-ETPs, automated savings plans, integrated Swiss pillar 3a pension savings, the first app-based joint account in Switzerland, and a sustainable banking option that plants trees with card spending. Banking infrastructure is provided by partner Hypothekarbank Lenzburg via Finstar banking-as-a-service.

Product overview

Neon is a Swiss mobile banking fintech company offering a multi-tier platform with a core digital account paired with a Debit Mastercard. The product portfolio centers on four subscription tiers (free, plus at 2 CHF/month, global at 8 CHF/month, and metal at 15 CHF/month) that layer additional services like phone support, travel/cyber insurance, and Wise integration discounts. Key integrated products include Neon Invest for stock/ETF trading, Neon Sparplan for automated monthly investments, and Neon Säule 3a for Swiss pension savings. The Neon Duo enables shared accounts for couples, while Neon Green adds sustainability features through tree-planting partnerships. All services are accessed via a single mobile app with banking infrastructure provided by Hypothekarbank Lenzburg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• neon free: Free digital everyday account with basic banking features, zero monthly fees
• neon plus
• neon global
• neon metal
• neon duo
• neon green
• neon invest
• neon Sparplan
• neon Säule 3a

Products and services

• Neon Konto (Neon Account) Digital mobile banking account for daily finances providing Swiss residents with a current account, debit Mastercard, payments, Spaces money management, and email/card emergency support, fully managed through the neon iOS/Android app. Available as a free tier with optional subscription upgrades.
• Neon Mastercard (Debit Card) Worldwide debit Mastercard linked to the neon account, available in multiple variants including red recycled plastic for free/plus/global tiers, wooden and green plastic cards for neon green users, and a metal card for the metal tier. Used for in-store, online, and ATM transactions.
• Neon Invest Mobile investment feature allowing Swiss users to buy and sell over 400 stocks, ETFs, and crypto-ETPs directly from the neon app with 0.5% trading fees for ETFs and Swiss stocks and 1.0% for international stocks, with no custody fees. Includes pre-built investment portfolio templates (Vorsichtig, Ausgewogen, Ambitioniert) and Preisalarme price alerts at 3%/5%/10% thresholds.
• Neon Säule 3a Integrated Swiss pillar 3a tax-advantaged retirement savings with five investment strategies ranging from 25% to 100% equities, annual management fee of 0.39%-0.45% (decreasing with balance), and no custody, entry, or transaction fees. Minimum contribution 1 CHF.
• Neon Sparplan Automated monthly investment savings plan allowing users to schedule recurring purchases of up to 6 stocks and ETFs through the neon app, featuring 0% fee titles from partner offerings and fee-based purchases of other instruments for long-term wealth building.
• Neon Duo Digital joint account for Swiss couples, the first fully app-based joint account in Switzerland, enabling shared expense management and joint finances at 3 CHF per person per month with plan benefits applying to duo transactions for plus, global, and metal users.
• Neon Green Sustainable banking add-on available for 3 CHF/month on top of any neon plan, planting one tree for every 500 CHF spent using the neon Mastercard through partnerships with veritree and EarthLungs, with options for a wood Mastercard or standard green plastic card and CO2 footprint compensation for all accounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 million trees planted by 7,500 neon green users in 1.5 years, compensating ~600,000 tonnes CO2
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Hypothekarbank LenzburgcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Core banking-as-a-service partnership since 2018. The bank provides underlying banking infrastructure, technology, and regulatory framework. Manages 1.4 billion CHF in deposits from neon users as of end 2025. Extended partnership in 2026 for instant payments rollout.
• FinstarcoreTechnology or IntegrationIT subsidiary of Hypothekarbank Lenzburg providing technological infrastructure for neon's banking platform.
• Invesco Asset ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership announced October 2023 for fee-free ETF trading. Goal to democratize investing in Switzerland through passive investment instruments with low barriers to entry.
• VanguardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF with 0% trading fees through neon savings plan. Vanguard manages 12.5 trillion USD globally.
• Xtrackers (DWS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerETF provider offering multiple 0% trading fee ETFs including Global Stocks (FTSE), Global Stocks ESG, Emerging Markets, S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, AI & Big Data, Clean Energy, Bitcoin and Ethereum trackers.
• Swisscanto (ZKB Asset Management)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESG ETF partnership offering four sustainable ETFs (Swiss Stocks, Global Stocks, US Stocks, Eurozone Stocks) with 0% trading fees. Swisscanto is leading provider of sustainable investment solutions in Europe.
• simply3acoreTechnology or IntegrationPension foundation that holds Säule 3a assets for neon customers. Part of the integrated 3a solution launched October 2025.
• Lienhardt & PartnercoreTechnology or IntegrationPrivate bank that invests Säule 3a assets in Swisscanto funds. Part of the integrated pillar 3a solution with simply3a foundation.
• veritreemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerData-driven reforestation platform partnered from 2026 for verified tree planting. Uses on-ground monitoring and multi-level verification for transparency. Targets 1 billion verified trees by 2030.
• EarthLungsminorOthersNon-profit organization working in Tudor Creek, Kenya. Has restored over 3,200 hectares of mangroves and plants 2+ million mangroves monthly. Partnered with veritree for neon green planting sites.
• Eden Reforestation Projects / Eden: People+PlanetminorOthersTree planting partner from 2021 to early 2026. Planted trees in Haiti, Madagascar, Nepal, Indonesia, Mozambique, Kenya, Honduras, Nicaragua. Partnership ended as Eden shifted focus to carbon credits.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Revolut: Revolut is the leading Swiss neobank with 1.2M customers and 53% market share, offering a similar mobile-first digital account with multi-currency, investing, and tiered subscription plans. Direct competitor in the same Swiss consumer segment.
• Yuh: Yuh is a Swiss neobank joint venture between PostFinance and Swissquote with 424K customers (19% share). Competes head-to-head with Neon on free everyday banking, investing, and Säule 3a in Switzerland.
• Zak (Bank Cler): Zak is the mobile-first banking app of Bank Cler (Basler Kantonalbank), targeting young Swiss consumers with a free account, payments, and savings features. Direct competitor in the Swiss digital banking category.
• Wise: Wise is integrated into Neon's app for international transfers and is also a competing offering for cross-border payments and multi-currency accounts in Switzerland. Both target consumers seeking low-cost cross-border financial services.

Broad incumbents

• Migros Bank: Migros Bank is an established Swiss retail bank offering free everyday banking and is a traditional incumbent competing for the same digital-first consumer segment in Switzerland.
• PostFinance: PostFinance is Switzerland's fifth-largest bank and co-owner of Yuh. It offers retail banking, payments, and Säule 3a products directly competing with Neon's product suite.

Regional players

• N26: N26 is a major European neobank with comparable mobile-first consumer banking features. While N26 does not currently serve Switzerland at scale, it represents the broader European neobank archetype Neon competes against in feature parity and customer expectations.
• Swissquote: Swissquote is a Swiss online bank/broker and co-owner of Yuh, offering trading, savings, and Säule 3a. Indirectly competes with Neon's invest and pillar 3a offerings through the Yuh platform.

Emerging players

• bunq: bunq is a European neobank offering tiered subscription banking with multi-currency, savings, and investing—closely mirroring Neon's freemium-plus strategy and product mix for European consumers.

Others

• Hypothekarbank Lenzburg: Hypothekarbank Lenzburg is Neon's core BaaS partner and Swiss private bank, providing the regulated banking infrastructure, deposit custody, and Finstar technology stack. Critical enabling partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/neon_accountapp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Neon